MADRID (AP) 鈥� Last week, it was a key forced fumble. This time, it was a decisive overtime interception.
Not bad for someone who didn’t know if he would make the Miami Dolphins’ roster in the offseason.
Cornerback Jack Jones came through for the Dolphins (4-7) on Sunday with his overtime pick helping lead to a over the Washington Commanders in the first NFL regular-season game in Spain.
His forced fumble last week helped the Dolphins beat Buffalo 30-13 at home. He also had six total tackles against the Bills.
鈥淢an, I鈥檓 truly blessed to be here,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he type of offseason I was going through just this past offseason, you know, I didn鈥檛 know if I was going to be on the team or not. Just being here, if there鈥檚 plays made or no plays made, I鈥檓 blessed and happy.鈥�
After the interception, Jones imitated the signature celebration of Cristiano Ronaldo, the soccer great who used to play for Real Madrid at the same Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where Sunday’s game was played in the Spanish capital.
鈥淭here鈥檚 all sorts of stories like that littered among an NFL team,鈥� Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. 鈥淭hat one鈥檚 pretty special because he鈥檚 had some adversity and had an opportunity here. We talked about it right when he came in. He came, hugged me and thanked me, and I thanked him because you can鈥檛 change the past, but you can recognize an opportunity, one that it was his to take on, but the recourse of failure was probably the end of his career, and he knew that.鈥�
The 27-year-old Jones signed with the Dolphins in the summer after being with the Las Vegas Raiders. He previously played with New England.
While with the Patriots in 2023, he agreed to and 48 hours of community service in exchange for prosecutors dropping eight of the nine weapons charges he faced in connection with his June arrest at a security checkpoint at Boston鈥檚 Logan Airport for allegedly having two loaded guns in his carry-on bag.
鈥淗e had a forced fumble last week that was monumental in our win and got his hands on the football again, this time with an interception,鈥� McDaniel said. 鈥淪o, he鈥檚 really doing a great job taking advantage of the opportunity. I think he really appreciated the team chanting a Jack Jones song considering it was fresh on his mind how far he鈥檇 come. We all can appreciate that.鈥�
Jones intercepted Marcus Mariota on the first offensive play of overtime Sunday, leading to Riley Patterson’s 29-yard winning field goal.
鈥淭his was a good team win,鈥� he said. 鈥淣obody was hanging their heads off of bad plays or bad drives, so to speak. Everybody just came back, regrouped and went out there and just was dominating as a team. If we just carry that week in and week out, we鈥檙e really hard to beat, because we鈥檙e a good team.鈥�
Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks said Jones told him moments earlier that he was going to come up with the interception.
鈥淗is exact words,” Brooks said, “‘Y鈥檃ll stop the run. He鈥檚 going to throw me the ball, because he can鈥檛 throw.’鈥�
鈥淚 had good eyes,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚鈥檓 an aggressive corner. You know, my eyes could be my weak spot. I seen the tight end chip, had good eyes, and tried to go across the formation. I just want the steal.鈥�
Jones said turning down a notch on his aggression has helped him become more productive.
鈥淭his year, I feel like I鈥檝e been trying to tone down my aggression,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust play to the system and do my job, and don鈥檛 try to do nothing more, because plays (are) going to come to me. Just make the plays that come to me and don鈥檛 try to overreach.鈥�
Jones thanked McDaniel and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross for giving him the opportunity.
鈥淚’m happy about everything,鈥� the 27-year-old Jones said.
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